EARN YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAWS RESPECT, YEAH RIGHT!

The problem is, you're both competing for the same girl. The solution is to turn that competition into collaboration, says Terri Apter, Ph.D. a Cambridge University psychologist and the author of "Learning to Get Along with In-Laws." To begin the transformation, follow this three-step process:

• The next time Mom calls, don't just hand the phone to your wife. Ask her about work, her favorite TV show, or any new recipes she's cooked. Show an interest in her life. 
• The following week, e-mail, text, or phone her directly. Say something like, "I saw this and thought of you," or simply share some good news. Before long, you'll have a rapport. 
• At the next family gathering, compliment Mom by saying, "I see my wife learned how to... cook, design interiors, climb the corporate ladder, from you." Make sure as many people as possible hear you, including your father-in-law. There now you're as good as in the will.